Horry’s Sore Knee Means Team Will Have a Shortage of Big Men at Start

Thin up on the front line? How about transparent?

To get to the 12-man roster limit, the Lakers put presumed starting power forward Robert Horry and his sore left knee on the injured list to start the season. He joins Kobe Bryant, who has a broken hand, and rookie John Celestand, who has knee tendinitis.

Each must miss at least five games, which means that, for now, A.C. Green probably is the starter at power forward and that John Salley and Travis Knight, who isn’t 100% because of a sore ankle, are the only backup big men.

The huge short-term burden, of course, falls on the shoulders of center Shaquille O’Neal, who probably will have to average more than 40 minutes and, with Bryant out and Glen Rice struggling to find his niche in the triangle offense, probably score at least 30-35 points, assuming he can stay out of foul trouble.

“I have to hold the fort down for 12 games,” O’Neal said. “I can do that.”

Coach Phil Jackson said he looks forward to O’Neal assuming the major responsibility for success or failure in the early going.

“I actually think it’s great for Shaq to have that kind of responsibility for this team right now,” Jackson said.

“He wants to be the leader of this team, he knows that he could do it. He’s anticipating what he can do inside of this offense. It comes naturally for him, what we do in this offense, and I think he wants to send a statement, and we want that to happen. . . .

“Because I think this is the note we’re going to send: ‘If you’re going to stop the Lakers, you’ve got to stop Shaq.’ ”

Jackson said that Knight, who went through his first full practice Monday since injuring the ankle Oct. 13, could be available for spot duty tonight at Salt Lake City.

The Lakers will wait for Horry’s knee, which has bothered him from the middle of training camp, to get better, and will continue to examine potential trades, particularly after Dec. 15, when teams can trade players who recently signed multiyear contracts, General Manager Mitch Kupchak said.

“I think we’ve been consistent the last couple-three weeks that we’re thin up front and it’s something we’re going to try to address,” Kupchak said.

He added that none of the names that came across the waiver wire Monday were particularly interesting.

“If they’re waived from other NBA teams, then there’s not much of a likelihood that they can be on our team and get significant minutes,” Kupchak said.

*

Broadcast analyst Stu Lantz, who missed the exhibition season after minor throat surgery, has recovered and will be alongside Chick Hearn for tonight’s game. Former coach Kurt Rambis filled in for Lantz during his absence.

TONIGHT

at Utah, 7:30 PST

Channel 9/TNT

* Site--Delta Center.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records (1999)--Lakers 31-19, Jazz 37-13.

* Record vs. Jazz (1999)--1-3.

* Update--Here’s your 1999-2000 season-opening Laker rotation: O’Neal, A.C. Green, Rice, Derek Fisher and Ron Harper starting, with Salley, Rick Fox and Brian Shaw as the main backups. That’s five new players in the eight-man rotation from last season’s opener, replacing Eddie Jones, Elden Campbell, Derek Harper, Bryant and Knight. Utah has brought in Olden Polynice to play center, lost sixth man Shandon Anderson to Houston, and nursed Karl Malone’s sore back through only two exhibition games.